Linnods

An Elvish form of verse

Gilraen's linnodfrom The Tale of Aragorn and ArwenThe Lord of the Rings Appendix A I (v)

A form of poetic rhythm, of which the only documented example is that of Gilraen the mother of Aragorn, quoted above. Tolkien himself gives us little detail about the linnod form, but it has been theorised1 that the word comes from the Elvish for 'seven-chant' (it is notable that Gilraen'slinnod consists of two segments of seven syllables each). On that basis, a linnod appears to be a verse-form intended for rendering short and pithy sayings.

Notes

1

Specifically, by Patrick Wynne and Carl F. Hostetter, as quoted in The Lord of the Rings: a Reader's Companion.